Blogger: JB McCann – “The Phoenix”
It’s March 18th. My kids are officially on Spring Break and I am not prepared!! Can you believe that? Me, not prepared? I’m the Queen of Planning. I never even go to Target without having thought through every aisle before I enter the door. I’m literally a walking ball of efficiency, but today, I’m a hot mess mama who’s about to be spending the next 7 days straight dodging the 100 questions rapid-fire AND politely deflecting the tantrums that follow when my kids realize the truth. Mom is on a tight budget and I got nothing spectacular on the horizon. I need a plan and I need one now.
To myself: “Breathe, over-thinker. People live like this all the time. Winging it…no real destination, just blindly moving about…annnnnd as I try to embrace this thought process, I feel the anxiety tighten in my chest.”
Sorry, friends. I just can’t do spontaneous with my 5 & 6 yr. olds. So, I grabbed a napkin and started to plot out the week. This is the City of Angels. Surely, I can google a bit and find some cool freebies to keep my little people busy? Well, I’m gonna make this brief because I thought I had 45 minutes to write this and, in actuality, I have about 12 minutes.
Monday: Beach Day
Today, we are going to Malibu Lagoon. It’s a small beach with free parking. I can pack a cooler full of snacks & pbj sandwiches. Done & done.
Cost: $20
Tuesday: Hiking Trails
It’s 2 hrs. climbing and playing at the original Bat Cave in Griffith Park and followed by lunch and fresh air at the old zoo playground. Pack some lunches and call it a field trip. Done.
Cost: $10
Wednesday: Rainy Day
By Hump Day, I’m gonna be so sick of outings that I’m gonna have to make being lazy look super fun. Movies, popcorn, dance parties, & shadow puppets on the roofs of our forts. Most likely, I’ll be meal prepping in my pjs with whatever vegetables are left in the fridge which makes me very happy and if mom is happy…you know the saying.
Cost: So Free
Thursday: Yard Work
Only, I won’t tell them that is what we are doing! I have all this mulch and vegetable seeds that I have got to get down this week. I’m gonna try to preface this task as something to “help the planet”. They always jump at that. We can picnic on the grass & maybe get out a slip and slide. Never underestimate the power of a slip and slide.
Cost: $26
Friday: IKEA & Karate
Now, this one is actually planned. I’m taking the kids to Ikea in the AM to play in their giant ball pit while I sip coffee and work. Sorry, not sorry. I have sh** to wrap up on Fridays and I have been working nights at home all week to make sure these adorable angels had a wonderful stay-cation. So, yes, it’s kinda dull for them for 90 minutes but, I achieve so much in this tiny window that I consider it a necessity in self-care. So do all the other moms sipping their free coffee refills. Later this evening, they both have karate practice. They can work out any built up aggressions my “me time” may have caused them.
Cost: $14
Total spent entertaining my kids this week: $70
The weekends are never planned. So I’m gonna wrap this up now. I definitely hit my 12-minute marker. My kids are starting to pace. I have yet to ask them to do anything. It’s 8:45am. I think I have about an hour to transform this winter bod into something beach ready and pretend I love salt water.
Really, you can’t go wrong on Spring Break. Just stay busy. Get outside when the weather is nice and enjoy not having to rush out the door before 8am! That’s my goal. We have been so busy with doctor visits, homework, schedules…what we all need more than anything is downtime to recharge and inspiration to keep learning. That doesn’t cost a dime. Good luck out there, Daily Feelers.
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JB McCann has worked in “The Biz” for almost a decade, yet she’s somehow managed to keep her feet firmly on the ground. Her altruistic spirit aims to evoke your Inner Phoenix and encourage readers to take the difficult leaps in life, so you can continue to grow.
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